25 Most Useful English Idioms and Phrases for Everyday Conversation

When learning a new language, there are different kinds of fluency. You may hear people talk about the difference between “textbook English” and “conversational English.” They are both valid; if you learn one over the other, you will be absolutely understood. But I believe the best way to become truly fluent is to know both!

Textbook English is what you are taught in school or class: proper grammar and clear sentences stating what you mean. But, by also learning more “conversational” language, or the English that Americans are actually using day to day on the street and with their friends, you are going to find it much easier to watch American TV and talk to your American friends and colleagues in a more natural way. 

There are lots of ways to become fluent in “conversational English.” Today, we are going to talk about one of the most important aspects of any language: idioms! An idiom, also called a “turn of phrase,” is a sentence that says one thing but that everyone agrees means something else. Every language has them, but in English we use them in almost every interaction! If you’ve watched an American show and heard someone say they are “feeling blue” or they are “under the weather,” you’ve heard that character use an idiom to describe not feeling well! 

We will introduce you to 25 of the most common idioms you are likely to hear in any given English interaction!

1) Feeling blue

If someone tells you they are “feeling blue”, it means they are sad, or upset about something. It is unclear where the term originally came from, with theories ranging from ancient Greece and Zeus creating blue rain clouds when upset, to 18th century sailing lore about flying a blue sail when the captain dies on board. While the origin is unclear, it is a phrase that every native English speaker will know and use! 

2) Under the weather

“Under the weather” also means not feeling your best, but it is more used when one is feeling ill or sick instead of sad. If you are getting a cold or have a fever, you could tell someone you are feeling “under the weather.” But be aware that we don’t use this phrase to describe when someone is really sick or deathly ill. The origin of this idiom may also stem from the sea! When sailors would go below decks to escape the weather because they felt unwell. 

3) Come rain or shine

If someone promises they will do something “come rain or shine”, you can trust they will try their best to make sure it happens! This idiom means that something will happen, no matter the circumstances. It comes from the idea of the weather! Take American football, they play the game as scheduled whether the sun is shining or if it is raining. 

4) Hit the sack / Hit the hay

These idioms both mean to go to bed, or go to sleep. It comes from the days when people used sacks filled with hay as mattresses! Before modern bedding, people would literally “hit the hay” or “hit the sack” to prepare their sleeping area, fluffing up the hay to make it more comfortable. Over time, these phrases evolved into common idioms for going to bed.

5) A dime a dozen

If someone offers you something and says that it is “a dime a dozen”, it means that it isn’t anything special or that there are lots of them. It comes from a time in the 19th century when they would sell a dozen (12) eggs for a dime (10 cents). Over time it morphed into the idiom as we use it today, meaning something is ordinary or commonplace. 

6) Six of one, half dozen of the other

This is one of my favorite idioms, and it just means that two things are the same! A dozen is another way of saying 12, so half of a dozen is 6. People tend to use it when it comes to making a decision; if you have no preference, or the things you are deciding between are similar, you can say, “I don’t mind; it’s six of one, half a dozen of the other!” 

7) Cut them some slack

A surprising number of English idioms from the nautical (or sea) world! “Slack” means extra or loose rope in nautical terms. And to “cut slack” means to give more rope to allow for more movement. So when we use it as an idiom, it means to loosen up on someone or be less critical, and give them the space to do their own thing.

8) Break the ice

This is a great one when learning English and meeting new people. “Break the ice” simply means to start a conversation! There are a couple of theories as to its origin, but the most likely is from the 18th century when ships were fitted with special ice-breaking attachments to explore the polar regions for the first time! So instead of exploring the Arctic, you can use “break the ice” to explore conversation with someone new! 

9) Hold your horses

This idiom comes from the days of horse-drawn carriages, and refers to bringing the horses to a stop by holding the reins. These days, we use it to tell people to slow or calm down. This particular idiom is often said to excitable children.          

10) Cold feet

This is one that you will hear often, and it means that someone is nervous. The origin is likely from the battlefields and soldier’s being unable to rush into battle when their feet get cold in their boots. This gets used a lot for people that get worried before a big event, like a wedding or a speech. 

11) Think outside the box

This one gets used a lot in work and school environments. It means to think creatively to find a solution to a problem, and it comes from a famous puzzle from the early 20th century. Without spoiling the puzzle, I will say that in order to solve it, you need to create lines outside of the perceived “box” created by the nine dots! Thus, the meaning of the idiom is to think differently than you may expect.

12) Cutting corners

This is another one from the days of horse-drawn carriages and refers to when a carriage would turn too sharply at a street corner to try and save time and get somewhere quicker, but in doing so, would likely run into the curb, making it a risky move. These days, we say this idiom to mean that you may be taking a risk by trying to do something quickly. For example, if you need to build something and it is due soon, you may “cut corners” and glue the pieces together instead of taking the time to nail them down. This may be faster now, but ultimately, it may be dangerous in the long run!

13) Silver Lining

This idiom gets used a lot in the US, and is used to describe trying to find the good in a bad situation. It can be linked back to poem from John Milton (17th century), where he described the light shining behind a rain cloud shimmering like silver, to remind people that even during a rainstorm, the sun is shining on the other side of the clouds and will come out again.

14) Sleep on it

This idiom doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with sleeping. Instead, you may hear someone say this if you ask them a question or they have a decision to make, and it means that they aren’t ready to answer or make that decision yet. It essentially just means that they would like to think about it more, usually overnight, so you can expect an answer the next day. 

15) Play it by ear

This idiom will be relatable to anyone who plays an instrument! It comes from the idea of not knowing a song but playing it anyway by listening and joining in. These days, for non-musicians, it means to do something spontaneously or without a plan. For example, if you are at a business event, and one of the speakers is running late and unsure they will make it in time, you can “play it by ear” and change the lineup of speakers as needed, 

16) Butterflies in my stomach

This is a classic English idiom, and you have probably heard it before in a romantic movie or TV show! It’s meant to describe the sort of erratic fluttering feeling that you get in your stomach when you are nervous or excited, which is very similar to the way that butterflies fly. It is mostly used when talking about having romantic feelings for someone, but can also be used if you are very nervous about something. For example, I get butterflies in my stomach when I’m about to sing in front of a large crowd.

17) Short fuse

If someone has a “short fuse” iot means they get angry very easily. It comes from the image and idea of a firework that will go off quickly because it has a short fuse. It is a rather recent idiom, having only shown up ibn the 1960s or so. It is a great way to describe someone you may want to “walk on eggshells” around (another idiom, it means to be careful).

18) Get the ball rolling

To “get the ball rolling” simply means to start something! Imagine you have a ball sitting on the top of a hill. If you give it a slight push, it will start to roll down and get faster and faster until it’s at the bottom of the hill! That’s what this idiom means: to put in just a little effort to get something started, usually with the hope that once it has started, it will continue on its own. You’ll hear this one a lot in both work and social situations, often about some kind of event. 

19) Get it off your chest

To “get something off your chest” means to say something that has been bothering you for a long time. There isn’t a clear origin for this idiom, and it has been used for a long time. Most people assume it represents the idea of physically unburdening yourself, with the chest being the emotional center of a person. So, if you have an emotional burden, it may feel like you have pressure on your chest. You can unburden yourself of that by “getting it off your chest” and saying out loud what is bothering you. 

20) Plain as day/Easy as pie/Piece of cake

All three of these idioms mean essentially the same thing: something is simple, obvious, or easy to do. If someone is describing how to do something, you can tell them that it is “plain as day” to let them know you understand. Once it is finished, if it is easy to do, you can tell them it is a “piece of cake” or “easy as pie.” 

21) Tip of the iceberg

If you have ever seen a picture of how an iceberg floats in the water, you will understand why this idiom means “only a little bit of something.” An iceberg is a large chunk of ice in the ocean, and about 90% of it is under the water, with only the tip visible above the surface. This is why we say “that is only the tip of the iceberg” to describe that there is much more to something than meets the eye (another idiom! “Meets the eye” is another way to say “what you can see”)

22) Step up

The full phrase is “step up your game,” but we have shortened it over time to just “step up.” It comes from the sports world, where you may need to physically step into position to play the sport better (think about “stepping up to the plate” in baseball). These days, we have shortened it to “step up,” and we use it to tell someone to try harder or be better. If you aren’t doing well in school, your teacher may tell you to “step up” your studies to get better grades.

23) Hang in there

Don’t worry, this one has nothing to do with actually hanging from something! We say this to someone that may be having a hard time, and it means to “keep trying”. If your friend is writing a book and they have writer’s block, you may tell them “Hang in there! You’ll get that next chapter written soon!”

24) Rain check

I use this one at least once a week! Whenever you need to reschedule something, you can ask someone for a “rain check.” The other day, I was supposed to see a movie with a friend, but I got called in to work at the last minute, so I needed to ask my friend for a “rain check.” It comes from when baseball teams used to give out checks (money) to repay tickets when a game was canceled due to the rain. These days, no money is involved with a rain check; it is only rescheduling. 

25) Take it with a grain of salt

If a friend tells you something, but you know that they get their news from a less than reputable source, you might safely take what they say “with a grain of salt. To “take something with a grain of salt” means to not believe everything you hear.” The etymology of this idiom is very interesting and goes all the way back to 77 CE when a philosopher was translating an ancient antidote to poison as having a “grain of salt.” Essentially, it means not taking the “poison” (or, in a modern context, information) too seriously, as an antidote (or the truth) is available with a “grain of salt.” 

In closing

And there you go! Twenty-five idioms you can start using today to “step up” your English fluency! And if you have trouble working these idioms into the conversation, “cut yourself some slack,” “don’t feel blue,” and just “hang in there!” You don’t have to “play it by ear”. You can plan ahead to “break the ice” with someone using an idiom to “get the ball rolling” with a conversation in English!